Football
Oklahoma means Mickey Mantle, Jim Thorpe, Barry Sanders, other stars of Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame
OKLAHOMA CITY—Driving to the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, two things quickly came to mind: Mickey Mantle and the rich football history, such as Barry Switzer and the University of Oklahoma, Barry Sanders and his run at Oklahoma State University.
Fittingly, this super-sized, must-see Hall sits on South Mickey Mantle Drive, and inside I spot a Switzer-signed OU helmet and a Sanders’ OSU jersey.
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Mantle, of course, was nicknamed “The Commerce Comet” as he and his family moved to Commerce, Okla. when he was 4. Mantle attended Commerce High School, where he was a three-sport star.
The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame is connected to Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in the city’s Bricktown district, home of the Oklahoma City Comets, the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. After the 2023 season, the team’s name was changed to the Oklahoma City Baseball Club for 2024 while options were explored for a new, unique and locally-oriented name that would differentiate the Oklahoma City club from its parent organization.
The 2025 team became the Oklahoma City Comets, an homage to Mantle and to honor the city’s ties to the aerospace industry.
Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball career (1951–68) for the New York Yankees, primarily as a center fielder. Mantle is considered to this day one of the best MLB players of all time—he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
The state’s greatest sports legend, Jim Thorpe, is arguably the greatest athlete who ever lived. The Jim Thorpe Museum contains artifacts and memorabilia from the culture, accomplishments and achievements of the Oklahoma native, who won two Olympic gold medals in the 1912 Summer Olympics (pentathlon and decathlon), played football (in college and professionally), professional baseball and professional basketball.
Thorpe was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963—one of 17 players in the charter class—and is memorialized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame rotunda in Canton with a larger-than-life statue.
He also has been inducted into halls of fame for college football, American Olympic teams, and the national track and field competition.
President Biden in 2024 announced that Thorpe would be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor given in the U.S.
The 15-minute video about the life and career of Thorpe is well worth the time, as is the special room dedicated to the athlete whose pro football career was best known for his time with the Canton Bulldogs and his major league baseball run was primarily with the New York Giants.
The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, founded in 1986, became a part of the Jim Thorpe Association in 1989. At least two inductees are selected for the Hall of Fame each year, based on athletic accomplishments and identification with the State of Oklahoma. The Hall of Fame was started by Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, who still serves as Master of Ceremonies.
The Class of 2024 includes Steve Davis (football), Patty McGraw-Coatney (golf), Mike Metheny (coaching/baseball), Ryan Minor (multi-sport), Roy Williams (football), and Shelby Wilson (wrestling).
The Class of 2025 Induction Ceremony is set for Monday, Aug. 4 to formally recognize Ken Hayes, Ann Pitts-Turner, Don Porter (posthumously), Enos Semore (posthumously), and Wes Welker.
Chris Sale, the left-handed pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, greets visitors to the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, which opens daily with no admission fee. There is a Sale jersey and an autographed baseball from Sale, the 2024 Warren Spahn Award-winner, among other accolades last season. In 2024, Sale was named to his eighth All-Star Team, and winner of his first Cy Young Award, Triple Crown and Gold Glove Award.
The entrance also features a Jahdae Barron helmet and jersey.
There is a slew of college football helmets, honoring past inductees such as Bennie Blades, Deion Sanders, Charles Woodson and others.
Other exhibits include:
• A 1956 Frederick Bombers autographed helmet from Frederick High School.
• Jason White, Thurman Thomas and Brian Bosworth jerseys.
• A display case of Bob Fenimore relics.
• A Bart Conner signed shirt.
• A section to honor Olympics tied to Oklahoma, including a Wayman Tisdale 1984 warm-up.
• Mike Metheny’s game-used bat and Southeast Oklahoma State jersey.
• Ryan Minor signed ball and Baltimore Orioles’ hat.
• Aeneas Williams artifacts.
• Gene Stephenson jersey from Wichita State University.
• Pat Jones jacket.
• Fergie Jenkins cleats and jersey.
• Darrell Porter helmet and jersey.
• Joe Carter cleats and jersey.
• An area honoring golfers such as Bob Tway and Scott Verplank.
• Eddie Fisher jersey.
• Bobby Murcer jersey and bat.
• Robin Ventura glove and jersey.
• Ken Mendenhall jersey and game ball.
• Roy Clymer’s NFL referee jersey.
• The 1950 championship rodeo saddle of Freckles Brown.
• Basketball jerseys of Marques Hayes, John Starks and Stacey Dales, among others.
• Stacey King jacket.
• A shrine or sorts to Johnny Bench, including a bat, glove, uniform, World Series rings, and more.
• Warren Spahn glove, hat and more.
• Mickey Mantle uniform, bust and more.
• Dick Soergel’s OSU basketball jersey.
• Walt Garrison souvenirs from his stint at OSU and with the Dallas Cowboys.
• An amateur wrestling section honoring John Smith, Danny Hodge and Pat Smith, among others.
• Steve Owens art.
• An Olympic torch, carried by both Bart Connor and Nadia Comaneci.
• Buddy Ryan’s Chicago Bears hat.
• Tommy Chesbro’s 1971 NCAA championship ring.
• Ralph Terry signed baseball bat.
• Souvenirs from the 1928 Olympics.
• Jon Kolb’s game-used Pittsburgh helmet.
• Bob Tway’s golf club.
• Prentice Garrett’s signed football card.
• Lee Roy Selmon’s football card.
• Don Chandler’s kicking shoe.
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